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LANGUAGE BEFORE GRAMMAR. 



LANGUAGE LESSONS, 



y 



BY 









MISS Wit. SUDLOW AND WKETCROSBY; 



REVISED EDITION. 




DAVENPORT, IOWA: 

DAY, EGBERT, & FIDLAR. 

1875- 



T^ 



,Cn3 






Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1875, 

By MISS P. W SUDLOW, 
in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 



* u 



PREFACE. 



The object of this revision of "First Lessons in Language and 
Composition" is to still further aid both teacher and pupil in the 
important work of composition in school. 

The matter designed for the pupil has been collated, and, with 
important changes and additions, is presented in this text book for 
the children. 

Throughout the work reference is made to the "Teacher's 
Manual," which, together with the text of this, is bound in one 
volume, furnishing a convenient hand-book for the teacher's desk. 

For further aid, a series of small blank books, each called an 
Exercise Book, is provided for the pupil. In these numbered 
blanks are provided for the first writings and for the corrected copy 
of each exercise given in the text book. 



CONTENTS. 



PAGE. 

I. Written Exercises, Containing Names of Objects, . . 1 
II. Names of Objects, Distinguishing the Singular from the Plural 

Form, . . . . . . .7 

III. Names of Objects used as Singular and Plural, . . 8 

IV. Sentences Containing the Plural Form of the Verb, used with a 

Compound Subject, ...... 9 

V. Sentences Formed, Containing Words Expressing the Position 

of Objects in Relation to one another, . . .10 

VI. Sentences, Containing Words that Designate the Parts of Objects, 12 
VII. Sentences Formed, Containing Words Describing the Forms of 

Objects, 13 

VIII. Words Expressing Color, used in Sentences with Names of 

Objects, . . . . . ... 15 

IX. Review of Preceding Lessons, by Describing Single Objects in 

Relation to their Place, Form, Parts, and Color, . . 16 
X. Words Expressing Qualities Apprehended by the Senses, used 

in Describing Objects, ...... 18 

XI. Sentences Formed, Containing Words Expressing Qualities of 

Objects Apprehended by the Sense of Sight, . . 18 

XII. Qualities Apprehended by the senses of Touch and Hearing, 20 

XIII. Qualities Apprehended by Tasting and Smelling, . . 22 

XIV. Qualities Ascertained through the Senses, aided by Experi- 

ment, . . t ..... 24 

XV. Sentences, giving the use of the Objects or Substances named, 27 

XVI. The Question Mark, or Point of Interrogation, . . 29 

XVII. Review, . . 31 

XVIII. Suitable Terms Taught— Use of Names as Common and Proper- 
Use of Possessive Sign— Use of Personal Pronouns, . 32 
XIX. Names used as Proper and Common, . . • .34 



VI 



CONTENTS. 



XX. The use of the Possessive Sign, ..... 
XXI. Nouns of the Third Person, and their Corresponding Pronouns, 
Singular and Plural, . 
XXII. Nouns of First and Second Person, and their Corresponding 
Pronouns, Singular and Plural, .... 

XXIII. Sentences Formed, Containing Relative Pronouns, 

XXIV. Composition of Sentences, ..... 
XXV. Compound Sentences, ...... 

XXVI. Sentences with Words Expressing the Manner, Time, and Place 
of Action, ....... 

XXVII. Sentences Expanded by Adding Modifying Words to the Sub- 
ject, . . 

XXVIII. Phrases and their use in Sentences, .... 

XXIX. Clauses and their use in Sentences, .... 

XXX. Review Lesson, ....... 

XXXI. Description of Plants, . . . 

XXXII. Compositions Telling about Persons, .... 

XXXIII. Description of Inanimate Objects, .... 

XXXIV. Compositions about Persons Representing Different Occupa- 

tions, ........ 

XXXV. Compositions about Animals, . . . . 

XXXVI. Compositions about Plants, ..... 

XXXVII. Description of Pictures, ...... 

XXXVIII. Mental Pictures, or Pictures of the Memory and Imagination, 
XXXIX. Description of Localities and Parts of Country Observed, and of 
Countries Represented by Maps, .... 

XL. Narration and Description of Journeys, Real or Imaginary, . 
XLI. Short Biographies of Celebrated Persons, 

XLII. Reproduction of Reading Lesson, or of Narrative, Read or Nar- 
rated by the Teacher, ...... 

XLIII. Letter Writing, .... 



35 

37 

39 
40 
42 
43 

45 

47 
48 
51 
53 
55 
56 
58 

61 
63 
65 
66 



72 
73 

75 

76 
80 




CHAPTER I. 



LESSON I. 

1. Written Exercises — Sentences Containing Names of Ob- 
jects. 



To the Teacher— See Model Exercise, Lesson I. of the Manual. 



Exercises. 

i. names of objects in the school room. 

1. Form sentences, using in each the name of some object which 
you see in the school-room. 

Exs. — My booh is a new one. 

The chair stands by the wall. 



NAMES OF OBJECTS AT HOME. 



DIRECTIONS. 

1. Look at the object about which you are going to write. 

2. Think about it. Select the best words. 

3. Arrange the sentence in your mind before you begin to write. 

4. Take care to write only what you know to be true. 

5. Write neatly and spell correctly. 

6. Begin each sentence with a capital letter. 

7. Use the period as directed in your oral lesson. 

Note.— The teacher will examine the work on your slate, or in your blank "book, and if you have mis- 
spelled any words you will find them marked with the letter S; the omission, or wrong use of capital 
letters, marked C; the omission, or wrong use of punctuation, marked P; an improper word, as to 
meaning or form, I. Re-write carefully, correcting all mistakes. 



II. NAMES OF OBJECTS AT HOME. 

2. Form sentences, using in each the name of some object which 
you see in the following picture, observing the directions already 
given. 

Ex.— The hoy is playing with the kitten. 



NAMES OF OBJECTS AT HOME. 




OBJECTS SURROUNDING THE HOME. 



III. NAMES OF OBJECTS SURROUNDING THE HOME. 

3. Write in the same manner, as before, about the different objects 
In the following picture : 




OBJECTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE CITY. 



IV. NAMES OF OBJECTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE CITY. 

4. Write sentences about the different objects seen in the following 
picture. 




Ex. — I see a tall steeple far up the street. 

V. USE OF THE WORD and IN CONNECTING THE NAMES OF TWO OBJECTS 
WHEN THE SAME THING IS SAID OF BOTH. 

1. Write in one sentence that which is expressed by each of the 
following couplets of sentences : 



CONNECTING THE NAMES OF OBJECTS. 



The girls can play. The horse eats corn. 

The boys can play. The cow eats corn. 

Squirrels live in the woods. 

Babbits live in the woods. 

Ex. — The girls and the boys can play. 

2. Write two sentences, using the name of an object in each. 
Ex. — The boy runs. 

The dog runs. 

3. Say the same of both objects in one sentence, connecting the 
names with the word and. 

Ex. — The boy and the dog run. 

VI. USE THE WORD " AND" IN JOINING TWO ACTION WORDS. 

Complete the following by telling two things that each person^ or 
animal can do : 

The horse A man 

A boy The parrot 

A girl The goose . . . . 

A Bird A scholar 

The cow The teacher 

Ex. — The horse can eat and run. 



NAMES OF OBJECTS. 



LESSON II. 

2. Names of Objects, Distinguishing the Singular from the 

Plural Form. 



To the Teacher.— See Model Exercises, Lesson H. of the Manual. 



Exercises. 



Write the following name-words, changing each so that it shall 
mean more than one : 

1. Tailor, lion, bonnet, fork, town, sled, pupil, horse, arrow, desk, 
house, home, flock, son, king, cow. 

Exs. — Tailors, lions, &c. 

2. Boy, toy, day, alley, valley, key, tray, spray, volley, joy. 
Exs. — Volleys, sprays, &c. 

3. Box, church, fox, tax, inch, class, glass, coach, branch. 
Exs. — Boxes, churches, &c. 

4. Story, berry, cherry, duty, baby, fly, glory, mercy body, lily, 
fairy. 

Exs. — Stories, berries, &c. 

5. Change the following words so that each will mean more than 
one : Man, woman, child, goose, tooth, foot, ox, mouse. 

Exs. — Men, oxen, &c. 

6. Write name-words, denoting more than one, not found in the 
lists given above. 



NAMES OF 0BJEGT8. 



LESSON III. 
3. Names of Objects Used as Singular and Plural. 



To the Teacher.— See Model Exercises, Lesson III. of the Manual. 

Exercises. 

i. names found in the exercises of the preceding lesson. 

Select the names from those that you have written in the last les- 
son, and write as follows : 

1. Four sentences, using a name and the word are. 
Ex. — The cows are in the field. 

2. Four sentences, using a name and the word were. 
Ex. — The children were on the play-ground. 

3. Four sentences, using a name and the word have. 
Ex. — Flies have wings and feet. 

4. Write sentences, using in each one or more of the following 
words, written so as to mean more than one. 



hat, 


apron, 


button, 


plate, 


coat, 


collar, 


ribbon, 


towel, 


slice, 


glove, 


cuff, 


ax, 


scarf, 


mitten, 


knife, 


glass, 


dress, 


pin, 


broom, 


brush, 


fruit, 


mouse, 


church, 


cherry, 


cup, 


orchard, 


sheep, 


ox, 


pen, 


flower, 


farmer, 


bridge, 



Ex. — He gave me a pair of gloves. 



SENTENCES CONTAINING TEE PLURAL FORM. 




LESSON IV. 

4. Sentences Containing the Plural Form of the Verb, used 
with a Compound Subject. 



To the Teacher.— See Model Exercises, Lesson IV. of the Manual. 



10 SENTENCES FORMED. 



Exercises. 

Write sentences, saying something of two different objects, seen 
in the preceding picture, and connect the two names used by the word 
and. 

Ex. — The globe and books are on the shelf. 

In the same manner, write about other objects of which you may 
think. 

1. Use with the names connected, the word are. 
Ex. — The horse and cow are in the pasture. 

2. Use with the names connected, the word were. 
Ex. — Mary and her sister were glad to see me. 

3. Use the word have in the same manner. 

Ex. — The boy and girl have some new books to read. 



LESSON V. 

5. Sentences Formed, Containing Words Expressing where Ob- 
jects are, or the Position of Objects in Relation 
to one Another. 



To the Teacher.— See Model Exercises, Lesson V. of the Manual. 



I. OBJECTS AS SEES' IN THE SCHOOL-ROOM, IN PICTURES .ND ELSEWHERE. 

Exercises. 

Write sentences, using in each the name of an object and one or 
more of the following words : 

1. In, on, under ; inside, outside ; above, below-; far, near ; be- 
side, beyond ; by. 

2. The words : Before, after ; among, between ; from, towards ; 
out of, into ; within, without ; around, across ; through, about; at 
against. 



SENTENCES FORMED. 



11 



Exs. 1. — The book is in my desk. 

2. — John went around by the bridge. 
3. — Henry came across the field. 




3. Describe the position of objects in the picture. 
Ex. — The book lies on the desk. 



1 2 SENTENCES THA T DESIGN A TE. 

LESSON VI. 

6. Sentences, Containing Words that Designate the Parts of 

Objects. 



To the Teacher.— See Model Exercises, Lesson VI. of the Manual. 



Directions. — There are now five things which you must remember 
when writing : 

1. To spell correctly. 

2. To use capital letters properly. 

3. To use the period. 

4. To use the right word with names meaning more than one. 

5. To use the comma to separate the parts of a sentence. 

Exercises. 

1. Name the parts of the following objects : — Table, sled, barrel, 
chair, gate, plow, door, window, cart, shoe, kite, ox, rake. 

First make a sentence for each part you name ; then, join these sen- 
tences together, making one ; and separate the parts of this sentence 
by commas. 

Ex. — The table has a top. 

The table has four corners. 
The table has four legs. 

The table has a top, four corners, and four legs. 

Directions. — Do the first work on your slate, and let the sentences 
in your " exercise book" appear in the last form, given in the example. 



SENTENCES FORMED. 



13 



LESSON VII. 

Y. Sentences Formed, containing Words Describing the Forms 

of Objects. 



To the Teacher.— See model exercise, Lesson VII. of The Manual. 



Lines and Angles. 




1. Straight lines. 

2. Crooked lines. 

3. Curved lines. 



4, 6. Horizontal parallel lines. 8. Right angles. 

5. Vertical parallel lines. 9. Acute angles. 
7. Oblique lines. 10. Obtuse angles. 



Exercises. 
Write sentences, naming in each a different object, and use one or 
more of the following words : 

straight, vertical, oblique, right-angled, 

parallel, horizontal, acute-angled, 

level, uneven, obtuse-angled. 



crooked, 
curved. 



14 



SENTENCES FORMED. 




1. Triangles. 

2. Squares. 
8. Oblongs. 



4. Cube. 7. Pyramid. 

5. Cylinder. 8. Cone. 

6. Rectangular solid. 9. Frustum. 



WORDS EXPRESSING COLOR. 



15 



2. Sentences, and use one of the following words, naming in each 
an object : 

Triangle, Cube, Cone, Edge 

Square, Cylinder, Frustum, Surface, 

Oblong, Pyramid, Corner, Rectangular. 



LESSON VIII. 



8. Words Expressing Color, used in Sentences with Names 

of Objects. 



To the Teacher.— See Model Exercise, Lesson VUL of The Manual. 



Exercises. 



1. Write sentences, telling the color of objects in the school-room. 
Ex. — My book has a blue cover. 

2. Write sentences, naming in each several objects that are of the 
same color. When the names of more than two objects are used in 
the same sentence, place a comma after each except the last. 

Ex. — The rose, the pink, and the verbena are red. 

3. Write sentences, telling in each the different colors of various 
objects of the same class. 

Ex. — Some apples are green, some are red, and some are yellow. 
When more than two colors are mentioned, place commas as in the 
example. 

4. Write sentences, describing in each an object, the parts of which 
are of different colors, or in which different colors are mingled. 

Exs. — 1. This flower has a green calyx and white petals. 

2. This lily is yellow with brown spots on its petals. 



16 REVIEW OF PRECEDING LESSONS. 



LESSON IX. 

I. Keview of Preceding Lessons, by Describing Single Objects 
in Respect to their Place, Form, Parts, and Color. 



To the Teaoheb.— See Model Exercises, Lesson IX. of the Manual. 

Exercises. 

1. Write a description of each of the following objects, telling the 
place, parts, form and color : 

My slate. The chair. My kite. The map. 

My skates. The table. My doll. The window. 

My knife. My sled. My hoop. My hat. 

Ex. — My hat is on the hook in the closet. 

It has a crown and a brim, and the crown has a band 
around it. 

The crown is round and the brim is wide and flat. 
The color of the hat is brown, but the ribbon of which the band is 
made is black. 

2. Write as you please about the following picture : 



REVIEW OF PRECEDING LESSONS. 



17 




18 WORDS, EXPRESSING QUALITIES. 



CHAPTER II. 



Words, Expressing Qualities Apprehended by the Senses, Used 

in Describing Objects. 

LESSON X. 

10. SENTENCES FORMED, CONTAINING WORDS EXPRESSING QUALITIES 
OF OBJECTS APPREHENDED BY THE SENSE OF SIGHT. 



To the Teacher.— See Model Exercises, Lesson X. of the Manual. 



Exercises. 



1. Express, in writing, the qualities that may be learned of an ob- 
ject by seeing it. 

Exs. — Pure water is transparent and colorless. 
Ink is a dark, opaque, colored fluid. 

Directions. — Fill the following blanks with words expressing qual- 
ities learned by seeing, and if more than two qualities are named, sep- 
arate the words expressing these qualities by commas, as in the ex- 
ample : 

1. The window glass is 

2. My writing paper is 



WORDS EXPRESSING Q UALITIES. 19 

3. The girl wore . dress. 

4. That tree is 

5. I saw a bird. 

6. He gave me apple. 

7. Gold is metal. 

8. He carried cane. 

2. Describe objects, using terms expressing qualities learned in 
the same way. 

Direction. — Notice that you have not only to think and write of 
the parts, form, and color of objects, as before, but of other qualities; 
as, clean, transparent, bright, &c. 

1. Write about different objects, using one or more of the follow- 
ing words : Bright, clear, clean, pretty, straight, crooked, dull, 
sparkling, limpid. 

Ex. — The water in the mountain stream is bright and clear. 

2. Write one or more objects, and use the words : Old, withered, 
handsome^ brilliant, new, transparent, opaque, porous, useful. 

Exs. — The grass and flowers are withered by the frost. 

The autumn leaves are brilliant with bright colors. 



20 SENTENCES FORMED. 



LESSON XI. 

11. Sentences Formed, Containing Words Expressing Quali- 
ties of Objects Apprehended by the uses of Touch 
and Hearing. 



To the Teacher— See Model Exercise, Lesson XI. of the Manual. 



Exercises. 



Directions. — 1. Learn all that you can of things by touching, 
and by hearing, and then, name the qualities. 
2. Use the comma as already directed. 

I. By Touching. 

Fill the following blanks with words expressing qualities learned by 
touching : 

• 1. The cloth is 

2. Iron is 

3. My skin is 

4. Snow is 

5. Silk is 

6. Feathers are c 

7. Marble is 

8. The cloth of my coat 

9. My desk is 

10. The stone 



SENTENCES FORMFD. 21 



2. Write five sentences, using in each one or more of the follow- 
ing words : warm, dry, hard, rough, stiff, cold, wet, soft, smooth, 
even, uneven, heavy, cool, light, thick. 

Ex. — This piece of cloth is thick, soft, and smooth. 

II. By Hearing. 

1. Fill the following blanks with words expressing qualities, as- 
certained through the sense of hearing. 

Ex. — The voice of my mother is kind, pleasant, and cheerful. 

1. The school bell rings 

2. The whistle of the locomotive is 

3. The barking of a dog is 

4. The singing of a canary is 

5. The noise of the moving cars 

6. The report of a gun 

7. The noise of thunder 

8. The wind among the trees 

9. The sound of running water 

10. The different tones of the human voice are 



2. Write five sentences, using in each one or more of the follow- 
ing words : noisy, harsh, loud, low, faint, shrill, hissing, musical, 
deafening, soothing, sweet, sad, joyous, cheerful. 



22 



SENTENCES FORMED. 




LESSON XII. 

12. Sentences formed, containing words expressing qualities 
apprehended by tasting and smelling. 



To the Teacher.— See "Suggestions, 1 ' Lesson XII. of the Manual. 



Exercises. 



1. Learn and name the qualities perceived by tasting and smell- 
ing, and fill the blanks in the following : . 



SENTENCES FORMED. 23 



1. Oranges are 

2. Vinegar is 

3. Pepper is 

4. Cloves are 

5. Cinnamon is . . : 

6. Lemons are 

7. Strawberries are 

8. Tea is 

9. Pure water is 

Ex. — Some oranges axe fragrant and sweet to the taste. 

2. Write five sentences, telling in eacli what you have learned of 
an object by tasting, and use in each sentence, one or more of the fol- 
lowing words : Sour, sweet, bitter, salt, spicy, incipid, tasteless, pun- 
gent, peppery, juicy, agreeable, pleasant, unpleasant. 

Ex. — I like juicy, sour apples. 

3. Write five sentences, using in each, one or more of the follow- 
ing words : fragrance, fragrant, odor, odorous, perfume, perfumed, 
disagreeable, pleasant, aromatic, rancid, sweet, sour. 

Exs. — Aromatic spices are brought from distant countries. 
The nutmeg is an aromatic spice. 

Directions — 1. Describe an object, telling, first, what you learn 
of it by seeing, then by hearing , feeling , tasting and smelling. 

2. Put together in as few sentences as you can what you learn by 
one sense, before you tell what you learn by another. 

3. Such divisions in a composition form paragraphs. 

4 Begin each paragraph of your composition at the left-hand mar- 
gin of your book, as in the example given below : 

An Apple. 
The apple is round, and has a short stem. 



24 



SENTENCES FORMED. 



The skin of the apple is red, the pulp is white, and the stem and 
seeds are brown. 

It is smooth and mellow, and it has a sour taste. 
It has little fragrance, but is pleasant to the smell. 

In the same way, describe some of the following objects : 
An orange. A pear. Tomatoes. 

A peach. A plum. G-rapes. 

Strawberries. Cherries. Currants. 



LESSON XIII. 



13. Sentences formed, containing words expressing qualities 
ascertained through the senses aided by experiment. 



To the Teacher.— See Model Exercises, Lesson XIH. of the Manual. 



Observations. — You have tried to bend a wire and found that it 
bent more or less easily, and you have thus learned that it inflexible. 

The quality which allows it to bend is called flexibility . 

You might not be strong enough to bend a large wire that a man 
could bend. 

There are wires so large that great weights are required to bend them 

You have, perhaps, seen them on bridges, which they help to sup- 
port. 

The great weight binds but does not break them ; they are, there- 
fore, flexible. 



SENTENCES FOBMED. 25 

It has been found by many trials, that wires, large and small, are 
more or less flexible. 

You have also found, in trying to bend small sticks, that instead of 
bending, they broke readily ; thus showing that they were brittle. 

That quality of things which allows them to be easily broken is 
called brittleness. 

By further trial or experiment you w r ould find that many kinds of 
wood are flexible. 

Small sticks of some kinds of wood, can be bent almost as much as 
wire without breaking. 

Tou have found that a piece of whale-bone when bent, as the wire, 
did not, like it, remain so, but sprang back to its former position ; and 
that a ball thrown to the floor bounded back, and thus you learned 
that these are elastic. This quality in objects we call elasticity. 

If you experiment in this way with many of the different kinds of 
wood,, in suitable shapes, you will find that some of these are elastic 
as well as flexible. 

And so we might go on trying and experimenting , and by this means 
continue to learn other qualities of objects. 

Definitions. 

1. When one substance adheres or sticks to another substance it 
is adhesive. 

Ex. — The chalk sticks to the black-board ; it is adhesive. 

2. Substances that can be drawn out into wire or thread are 
ductile. 

Ex. — Glass when heated can be spun into fine threads ; glass is 
made ductile by heating. 

3. Substances that can be dissolved in liquids are soluble. 
Ex. — Camphor dissolves in alcohol ; it is soluble. 

4. Substances that will take fire are combustible. 



26 SENTENCES FORMED. 

Ex. — Oil is combustible. 

5. Substances which take fire easily are inflammable. 

Ex. — Kerosene is very inflammable. 

9. Substances which melt by heating axe fusible. 

Ex. — Lead melts when heated ; it is fusible. 

7. Bodies enlarge or expand when heated. 
Ex. — Iron is expansible. 

8. Substances that can be drawn out and made thin by beating 
are malleable. 

Ex. — Gold may be beaten into very thin plates ; it is malleable. 

9. Substances not easily pulled to pieces have the quality of te- 
nacity. 

Ex. — Linen has tenacity. 

Exercises. 

1. By experiment find out and state what objects or substances 
are flexible, elastic, adhesive, soluble, fusible, tough, brittle, tenacious, 
heavy, light, stiff, absorbent, and tell how you learn they have these 
qualities. 

Ex. — By bending my whip-stock I find that it inflexible. 

2. Compare objects or substances that have opposite qualities. 

Exs. — f Leather is tough. f Lead is heavy. 

I Grlass is brittle. ( Cork is light. 

Or, f Leather is tough, but glass is brittle. 

\ Lead is heavy, but cork is light. 

Directions. — 1. Observe that here, as elsewhere, when we join 
the two sentences to make one, we separate the parts of the sentence, 
so formed, by a comma. 

2. You will also observe that we have connected the two parts 
that express opposite qualities by the word but instead of the word 
and. 



SENTENCES GIVING THE USE OF THE OBJECTS. 27 

3. Compare objects or substances having like qualities. 
Exs. — Sugar and salt are soluble. 

India-rubber and whale-bone are elastic. 

4. Write about the following objects, telling what you have learned 
of them, and how you have learned it : 

A piece of lead. A piece of cork. 

A piece of wax. A piece of India-rubber. 

A lump of sugar. A sheet of paper. 

A lump of salt. A sponge with water. 

A piece of cake. A sheet of blotting-paper. 

Ex. — I find that the piece of lead is malleable, fusible, and when 
thin, is quite flexible. I can easily cut it with my knife. 



LESSON XIV. 



14. Sentences, giving the use of the objects or substances 

NAMED.. 

Observations. — It is only alter we have learned the qualities of 
things, that we understand their true uses. 

Qualities suggest uses ; so that having learned the former you will 
have little difficulty in pointing out the latter. 

Direction. — Bear in mind the instruction given for the use of the 
comma. 



28 REVIEW OF THE LAST FIVE LESSONS. 

Exercises. 

Write sentences mentioning some use of each, of the following ob- 
jects, and the quality upon which such use depends : 

wood ; chalk, salt, water, 

leather, steel, horn, flax, 

silver, lead, glass, putty, 

iron, cotton, wool, clay. 

Ex. — G-lass is used for windows because it is transparent. 

Observe that you have stated a, fact and given a reason for it. 



LESSON XV. 
15. Review of the last five lessons. 



To the Teacher.— See Model Exercises, Lesson XV. of the Manual. 



EXEKCISES. 

1. Describe the following objects : 

A lemon, A bunch of raisins, 

A walnut, A cluster of grapes, 

A cocoanut, A watermelon, 

A pineapple, The fruit you like best. 

Example. 
Candy. 
The sticks of candy are long and round, and they are all of the 
same length and size. The colors of the candy are red and white. 
It is smooth and hard, and has a sweet taste and a pleasant odor. 
It dissolves in the water, melts when heated on the stove, burns 
if it is thrown into the fire, and is easily broken. 



THE QUESTION MARK OR POINT OF INTERROGATION. 29 

LESSON XVI. 
16. The question mark or point of interrogation. 

Observations. — We often desire to know about things at a distance 
from us. Such knowledge cannot be obtained by our senses, or by 
experiment, but must be obtained through accounts given us by 

others. 

This knowledge is often gained from books and papers, and some- 
times by means of letters. 

But very often we are curious to know more than is told us in these 
ways, and we try to have our curiosity satisfied by ashing questions. 

When we ask questions by writing we place after each question this 
mark [?]. 

It is called a question mark, or interrogation point. 

It is placed after each sentence in which a question is asked. Such 
sentences are called interrogative sentences. 

The sentences which you have formed in describing objects, and 
after which you have placed a period, declare, or tell, something of 
the object. 

Such sentences are called declarative sentences. 

Exercises. 

1. Write sentences asking questions about things which others 
have seen, but you have not, and punctuate properly. 

Ex. — What kind of trees are found in California ? 

2. Answer the following questions so as to form a short compo- 
sition. 

1. What kind of fruit do you like best ? 

2. Where does it grow ? 

3. How does it taste when green ? 

4. How does it taste when ripe ? 

5. Of what shape is the ripe fruit ? 



30 



THE QUESTION MARK OR POINT OF INTERROGATION. 



6. Of what color is it ? 

7. How can it be best preserved ? 

8. How best prepared for food ? 

9. What else can you tell about ? 

3. Look carefully at the following picture and write about all 
that you see in it, and express all that it seems to say to you. . 




REVIEW OF DIRECTIONS FOR WRITING. 31 

LESSON XVII. 
17. Eeview of directions for writing. 

1. Every sentence should begin with a capital letter. 

2. The period should be used after every declarative sentence. 

3. The interrogation point should be used after every sentence in 
which a question is asked. 

4. The comma should be used in place of words omitted, when 
more than two sentences are united in one simple sentence. 

5. The comma should be used after each name, except the last, 
when the same thing is said of more than two objects named in one 
sentence. 

6. The comma should be used to separate words that express qual- 
ity, when the different woi ds refer to the same thing. 

Examples. 

1. To write well is a fine art. 

2. We should speak the truth at all times. 

3. Do you like to study ? 

4. The boy can read, spell, and write. 

5. The man. his wife, and a child were saved. 

6. The colors of the rainbow are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, 
indigo, and violet. 

Exercises. 

4. Write about anything that you choose and observe all of the 
above directions. 



CHAPTER III. 



Suitable terms taught — use of names as common and proper — 
use of possessive sign — use of personal pronouns. 

LESSON XVIII. 

18. Introductory exercises for teaching terms designating 
classes of words already used. 

How to use names of objects, some meaning one object, and some 
meaning more than one, has already been learned. 

For convenience in the exercises that are to follow, it is necessary 
to remember three things of these name-words : 

1. That all names are called nouns. 

2. That all names that denote but one are said to be of the sin- 
gular number. 

3. That all names that denote more than one are said to be of the 
plural number. 

Exercises. 

Now, that we may be sure that you understand what has just; been 
said, you may take from the following selections. 

1. Ten nouns of the singular number, and write, first the singu- 
lar, then the plural form of the noun selected. 

2. Select five nouns of the plural number, and write, first, the 
plural, then the singular form of the noun selected. 



STRIKE THE KNOT 33 



STEIKE THE KNOT. 



" Strike the knot/' said a gentleman one day to his son, who, tired 
and weary, was leaning on his ax over a log which he had been trying 
to cleave. 

Then looking at the log, the gentleman saw how the boy had hacked 
and clipped all around the knot without hitting it. Taking the ax, 
he struck a few sharp blows on the knot and split the log without 
difficulty. Smiling, he returned the ax to his son, saying, " Always 
strike the knot/' 

That was good advice. It is as good for you, my children, as it 
was for the boy to whom it was first given. It is a capital maxim to 
follow when you are in trouble. Have you a hard sum to do at school? 
Have you got to face a difficulty ? Are you leaving home to live for 
the first time among strangers ? Look your trouble in the eye, as the 
bold lion hunter looks in the face of the lion. Never shrink from a 
painful duty, but step right up to it and do it. Strike the knot, boys 
and girls, and you will always conquer your difficulties. 



34 NAMES USED AS PROPER AND COMMON 

LESSON XIX. 
19. Names used as proper and common. 



To the Teacher.— See Model Exercises, Lesson XIX. of the Manual. 



Directions. — You have learned and practiced one rule for the use 
of the capital letter, and are now ready to use the second ; but, be- 
fore doing so, you may learn the following definitions and rules : 

Definition. — All names applied to the individuals of a class are 
common names, or common nouns. 

Exs. — Boy, book, tree. 

Def. — All names which denote some particular person, place, or 
thing, are proper names or proper nouns. 

Exs. — John, Maine, Wednesday. 

Rule I. — Every sentence should begin with a capital letter. 

Ex. — We are thankful for this bright, beautiful day. 

Rule II. — Every proper name, and each word forming the chief 
part of a proper name, should begin with a capital letter. 

Ex. — Mary and Ella went to New York to visit Central Park, and 
on their return sailed up the Hudson as far as Albany. 

Exercises. 

1. Write five sentences, using in each a common and a proper 
noun. 

Ex. — My Uncle lives in Chicago. 

2. Write five sentences, using in each a noun which is the name 
of a person. 

Ex. — I met James and his sister Mary. 



USE OF THE POSSESSIVE SIGN. ■ 35 

3. Sentences ; using in each two proper nouns, one the name of a 
person, the other, the name of a city. 

Ex. — The poet Milton was born in London, 

4. Sentences, using in each & proper noun which is the name of a 
state or country. 

Ex. — We live in the United States, a country of North America. 

5. Sentences, using in each the name of some river, lake, sea, or 
ocean, 

Ex. — The Mississippi river rises in Lake Itasca, and flows into the 
Gulf of Mexico. 

6. Sentences, using in each the name of some day of the week, or 
of some month of the year. 

Ex. — The surrender of Vicksburg took place on Sunday, July the 
4th, 1863. 



LESSON XX. 



20. The use of the possessive sign with the singular and sin- 
gular AND PLURAL FORM OF NOUNS. 



To the Teacher— See Model Exercise, Lesson XX. of the Manual. 



Direction. — Observe the following groups of words, or phrases 

1. The voice of the teacher. 

2. The songs of the birds. 

3. The sports of the children. 



36 USE OB 1 THE POSSESSIVE SIGJST. 

These sentences may be changed in form, and with the use of the 
apostrophe, or possessive sign, express the same idea ; as, — 

1. The teacher's voice. 

2. The birds' songs. 

3. The children's sports. 

By the aid of the following rules, both forms may be practiced, and, 
then, either mode of expression used as seems most pleasing. These 
different forms give variety to our language and thus adds to its 
beauty and force. 

Eule I. — To write a singular noun so as to denote by the form 
that something is owned, or possessed, place after it the apostrophe 
and the letter s. 

Ex. — This is Susan's book. 

Eule II. — To write a plural noun ending with the letter s, so as 
to show by the form that something is owned, or possessed, add the 
apostrophe only. 

Ex. — The boys' playground is shaded with trees. 

Eule III. — To write a plural noun not ending with the letter s, so 
as to show by the form that something is owned or possessed, add the 
apostrophe and the letter s. 

Ex. — The gentlemen's hats were left in the hall. 

Exercises. 

1. Express the simple idea of possession by a phrase without the 
use of the apostrophe. 

Exs. — The bark of a dog. The leaves of the trees. 

The books belong to John. Days of the week. 

2. Write sentences, using in each a singular noun, showing pos- 
session, by the use of the apostrophe, or possessive sign. 

Ex. — John's books are new. 



NOUJSrS OF THE THIBD PERSON. 37 

3. Sentences, using in each & plural noun ending with the letter s, 
and denoting ownership or possession by the use of the apostrophe. 

Ex. — The girls' dresses were neat and clean. 

4. Sentences, using in each a plural noun not ending in s, and de- 
noting possession by the use of the apostrophe. 

Ex. — The men's property was destroyed by fire. 



LESSON XXI. 



21. Nouns of the third person, and their corresponding pro- 
nouns, SINGULAR AND PLURAL. 



To the Teacher.— See ModelExercise, Lesson XXI. of the Manual. 



Directions. — 1. G-ive attention to the story as given in the fol- 
lowing forms, that you may learn from it more of the use of the pro- 
nouns about which you have just been taught. 

First Form. 

Once, a little boy started, early, to school, but the boy played on the 
way, and so was late. The teacher was grieved, and said to the boy : 
" The teacher thinks that the boy will have to stay after school to 
make up the study time the boy has lost/' But the boy seemed so 
sorry and studied the boy's lesson so well that the teacher forgave him, 
and the boy thanked the teacher. The boy and the teacher then went 
home together, and this was pleasant for the boy and the teacher. 



38 NOUNS OF THE THIRD PERSON. 

Second Form. 

Once, a little boy started early to school, but he played on the way, 
and so he was late. The teacher was grieved and said to him : " I 
think that you will have to stay after school to make up the study 
time you have lost/' But he seemed so sorry, and studied his lesson 
so well that she forgave him, and he thanked her. 

They, then, walked home together, which was pleasant for them. 

2. Observe that the pronouns used in the "Second form" take the 
place of the nouns in the "First form." 

That in place of the names of the persons spoken of; as, "boy" and 
" teacher" we have used the pronouns "he" "him" "his," "her" 
and " them." 

That in place of the person speaking, we have used the pronoun 

In place of the person spoken to, the pronoun "you." 
8. Remember the following deflnition, a and rule for the use of the 
pronoun : 

Definition. — A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun. 

Rule I. — Use the pronouns he, his, him, she, her, hers, it, its, they, 
their, theirs, them, instead of the names of persons or things spoken 
of, after these names have been used at least once. 

Exercises. 

1. Write sentences, using in each one of the pronouns he, his, and 
him, and the noun which it represents. 

Ex. — If a boy is studious he will learn. 

2. Sentences, using in each, one of the pronouns she, her, and hers, 
and the noun which it represents. 



nouns of the first and second person 39 

Ex. — Mary lost her book as she was coming to school. 

3. Sentences, using in each one of the pronouns they, their and 
them, and the noun which it represents. 

Ex. — The boys have finished the work which they began yesterday. 

4. Sentences, using in each the pronoun it or its. 

Ex. — The lark is a singing bird, and it sings as it rises in the air. 



LESSON XXII. 



22. Nouns of the first and second person, and their corres- 
ponding PRONOUNS, SINGULAR AND PLURAL. 

ADDITIONAL RULES FOR THE USE OF THE PRONOUNS. 

Kule II. — Use the pronouns you, your, and yours, instead of the 
persons spoken to. 

Eule III.— Use the pronouns I, we, my, mine, our, ours, me, and 
us, instead of the names of the persons speaking. 

Exercises. 

1. Write sentences, using in each the pronoun you, your or yours, 
and the name of the person spoken to. 

Place a comma after the name of the person addressed, or spoken 
to, as in the example. 

Ex. — James, you may bring your sister's book. 

2. Write sentences, using in each the pronoun I, my, mine, or 
me. 



40 SENTENCES FORMED. 



Ex. — I studied my lesson,- and then read the book that was given 
to me. 

3. Write sentences, using in each the pronoun we, our, ours, or 
us. 

Ex. — We love those who are kind to us. 

4. Sentences, using in each, a noun and a pronoun. 



LESSON XXIII. 
23. Sentences formed, containing relative pronouns. 



To the Teacher.— See Model Exercises, Lesson XXIIL of the Manual. 

Exercises. 

1. Change the form of the following sentences so as to use|in^each 
one of the pronouns who, whose, whom, which, and that. 
Ex. — This is the man, and he came into the city to-day. 
This is the man who came into the city to-day. 

1. The boy came to school yesterday, and the same boy is absent 
to-day. 

2. We loved these friends, and they have left us. 

3. That is the girl, and I have her pencil. 

4. I tended some plants carefully, and those plants yielded the 
finest flowers. 

5. This is the bird, and I heard this bird sing. 



SENTENCES FORMED. 



41 



2. Write sentences, using in each the name ot a person and the 
pronoun who or whom. 

Exs. — The pupil who is dilligent will improve. 
The man whom you met is my friend. 

3. Sentences, using in each a noun and the pronoun whose. 
Ex. — The girl whose brother I saw was glad to hear from him. 

4. Sentences, using in each a noun and the pronoun that or which* 

Exs — The roses that I gathered were wet with dew. 

Trees which have many leaves bear but little fruit. 




CHAPTER IV. 



LESSON XXIV. 
24. Composition of sentences. 

To the Teacher.— See model exercise, Lesson XXIV. of the Manual. 

Direction. — The following statements and definitions should be 
studied and memorized. 

1. The subject of a sentence denotes that of which something is 
said. 

2. The predicate is that part of a sentence which says something 
of the subject. 

3. Every sentence has at^least one subject and one predicate, 

4. A subject combined with a predicate is called a proposition. 

5. The subject is not always expressed; as, come to me ; that is, 
you come to me, or come you to me. 

Exercises. 

I. Supply predicates or subjects in the following, and thus com- 
plete the propositions : 

1. The ostrich 

2. The robin 

3. The blue-bird 



COMPOUND SENTENCES. 43 

4. The wren 

5. The peacock 

6 live in the woods. 

7 lives in warm countries. 

8 is found in Africa. 

9. - is a singing bird. 

10 is the emblem of our country. 

II. Construct two propositions under each of the following : 

1. Expressing simply the being of persons and things ; as ; The 
boy ie. The flowers are. 

2. Expressing what persons or things are ; as. The earth is a 
planet. The man is a farmer. 

3. Expressing what persons or things do ; as, Children play at 
recess. The bird sings. 

4. Denying something of persons or things ; as ; I cannot go with- 
out you to-day. The book is not lost. 

5. Asking something about persons or things ; as, Is my work 
well done ? Is he at home ? 



LESSON XXV. 

25 Compound sentences. 



To the Teacher.— See Model Exercise Lesson XXV. of the Manual. 



Directions. — Kemember the following : 

1. A sentence is a proposition, or two or more united propositions, 
followed by a full pause. 



44 COMPOUND SENTENCES. 

2. The word and is used to unite propositions that are not opposed 
or contrasted, but similar in meaning ; as, The sun had set and a 
storm was gathering in the west, and the darkness increased. 

3. Instead of repeating the connective as in the example above, we 
may use it only between the last two propositions ; as, The sun had 
set, a storm was gathering in the west, and the darkness increased. 

4. That propositions so united must be set off by commas, as in 
the example above. 

5. The words but, or, nor, with a few other words and groups of 
words, not so frequently used, unite propositions opposed, or in some 
way contrasted in meaning ; as, " Eagles go alone, but little birds go 
in flocks/' He will do his duty, or he will perish in the attempt. 

6. These opposed or contrasted propositions are separated by 
commas, 

7. Nor is often used with neither, and or with either, to unite 
propositions ; as, 

He will neither go, nor send for it. 
I will either go, or send for it. 

8. Sometimes two or more propositions are written in one sentence 
without a connecting word, the propositions separated by a semicolon; 
as, It is good to make friends ; it is better to keep them. 

Exercises. 

1. Construct sentences, containing two or more propositions united by 
and. 

Ex. — The cony is a timid animal, and seeks shelter among the 
rocks. 

2. Sentences, containing propositions united by but. 
Ex. — The peacock has a gay plumage, but it cannot sing. 

3. Sentences, containing propositions united by or, nor, &c. 



SENTENCES WITH WORDS EXPRESSING MANNER. 45 

Ex. — Our bird must be fed, or it will suffer from hunger. 

4. Sentences, containing two or more propositions ^without connect- 
ing words. 

Ex. — Others have labored for us ; we must labor for others. 

5. Describe some object assigned by the teacher, uniting in any of 
these ways the propositions used. 



LESSON XXVI. 



26. Sentences with words expressing the manner, time, and 

place of action. 



To the Teacher— See Model Exercise, Lesson XXVI. of the Manual. 



Directions. — In expressing your thoughts, you have learned to 
form single propositions, or simple sentences, then to unite these sim- 
ple sentences into wholes, or compound sentences. 

You have thoughts, for the proper expression of which, a different 
kind of sentences is required. 

When you think of objects as being or doing something, you will 
want to tell what, when, how, why, or by what means the thipg is or 
is done. 

For example, I say : The bird sings. You ask : " How does the 
bird sing ?" I reply : The bird sings sweetly. 

Again I say : - The boy learns. You ask : " What does the boy 
learn ?" " Where does he learn ?" " When does he leaanj?" 

I may reply : He learns his lesson. He learns at school. He 
learns now. 






46 SENTENCES WITH WORDS EXPRESSING MANNER. 

You can easily understand that in these sentences : "The bird sings 
sweetly." u The boy learns his lesson at school" " He learns now ;" 
we have done more than make a simple statement, that something is 
or is done. 

You will observe that we have added words to tell how, what, where 
and when the action takes place. 

Exercises. 

1. Write sentences telling what is done. 
Ex. — The man drives a horse. 

2. Write sentences, containing words expressing action, and such 
words ; as, well, quickly, easily, fast, foolishly, neatly, probably, qui- 
etly, lazily, promptly, &c, telling how. 

Ex. — Mary sews neatly. 

3. Write sentences containing words expressing action, and such 
words ; as, early, soon, again, after, frequently, when, while, some- 
times, often, always, immediately, &c, telling when. 

Ex. — The girls will come early. 

4. Write sentences, containing words expressing action, and such 
words ; as, here, there, wherever, everywhere, ashore, far, away, 
somewhere, abroad, &c, telling where. 

Ex. — He will come ashore. 

5. Write sentences comparing the manner in which two persons 
perform the same act. 

Ex. — James studies well, but Henry studies better. 

6. Write sentences comparing the way in which three or more per- 
sons perform the same act. 

Ex. — Mary writes well, Ella writes better, but Lizzie writes best. 

7. Write sentences, expressing in each three different ways of per- 



SENTENCES EXPANDED. 47 

forming the same act, using such words ; as, soon, sooner, soonest, 
late, later, latest; often, oftener, oftenest; well, better, best; rudely, 
more rudely, most rudely ; friendly, more friendly, most friendly. 

Ex. — Minnie spoke earnestly, Jennie spoke more earnestly, but 
Frank spoke most earnestly. 



LESSON XXVII. 



27. Sentences expanded by adding modifying words to the 

SUBJECT. 



To the Teacher.— See Model Exercises, Lesson XXVII. of the Manual. 



Directions. — In the preceding exercises you have expanded your 
sentences by adding words to the predicate telling when, how, where, 
&c. 

You may expand them still more : By adding words to the subject 
telling what hind; as, 

The studious boy learns rapidly. 
The diligent boy learns many things. 
2. Or you may point out more exactly which boy is meant ; as, 
This boy learns his lessons. 
That boy learns easily. 
My boy learns at school. 
8. Or tell how many; as, 

Five boys are at play in the yard. 



48 PHRASES AND THEIR USE IN SENTENCES. 



Exercises. 

I. Expand the following propositions by adding to the words tell- 
ing what kind, or which : 

1 flowers grow on the hill-sides. 

2 stars are bright at night. 

3 boys are fond of play. 

4 passed that way. 

5 man will be trusted. 

6 boy will be a delight to his parents. 

Ex. — Wild flowers grow on the hill-sides. 

II. Write sentences, using in each two or more of the following 
words, telling : 

1. What persons ought to be ; as, cheerful, busy, kind, industri- 
ous, faithful, trusty, honest, generous, diligent, careful, good, grate- 
ful, brave, useful, agreeable. 

2. What persons ought not to be; as, unkind, idle, cross, lazy, 
peevish, discontented, roving, stubborn, careless, heedless, fretful, un- 
generous, unthankful, forgetful, disobedient. 



LESSON XXVIII. 

28. Phrases and their use in sentences. 

You have learned that a collection of words, consisting of subject 
and predicate, form a ^proposition or simple sentence. There are 
other combinations of words which express meaning without a predi- 



PHRASES AND THEIR USE IN SENTENCES. 49 

cate ; as, In the morning, by the river, to play ball, &e. These and 
similar combinations are called phrases. 

These phrases are used as single words are used, to tell what, where, 
when, how, why, &c. 

Exercises. 

I. Use the following phrases to tell what or whom : 

1. Of the fields. 4. To sing for me. 

2. The man's friend. 5. To come home. 

3. Singing birds. 6. A large tree. 
Ex. — The flowers of the field are withered. 

II. Expand the following by using phrases to tell what : 

1. The man asked - . 

2. The fox is 

3. The children love 

4. Many persons are fond of 

5. The lion is 

6. He neglected 

Ex. — The man asked to see his friends. 

III. Use the following phrases to tell where : 

1. In the house. 4. By the river. 

2. At home. 5. Upon the playground. 

3. On the street. 6. In the bright sunshine. 
Ex. — He left his little sister in the house. 

IV. Complete the following by use of phrases telling where : 

1. Come with me 

2. Monkeys are found 

3. Beautiful flowers grow 



50 PHRASES AND THEIR USE IN SENTENCES. 



4. Apricots, figs and oranges grow 

5. James is staying 

6. Fruit trees are planted 

Ex. — Come with me into this beautiful garden. 

V. Use the following phrases to tell when : 

1. In the morning. 4. At tea time. 

2. After the refreshing rain. 5. Before going to school. 

3. When coming home. 6. While playing ball. 
Ex. — He left home in the morning. 

VI. Complete the following by the use of phrases telling when : 

1. Speak the truth . . . 

2. He left 

3. Study diligently 

4. I came home 

5. The leaves put on their bright colors 

6 the ground is often covered with snow. 

Ex. — Speak the truth at all times. 

VII. Use the following phrase to tell how : 

1. In a kind manner. 4. By means of a rope. 

2. By persevering 5. In many ways. 

3. The earnest. 6. By diligent study. 
Ex. — We should always reprove in a kind manner. 

VIII. Complete the following by the use of phrases telling how 

1. He treated us 

2. We will return 

3. The angry waves dashed 

4. Birds build their nests 



CLAUSES AND THEIR USE IN SENTENCES. 51 

5. He recited 

6. Some rivers flow 

Ex. — He treated us with much politeness. 

IX. Use the following phrases to tell why, or for tohat purpose : 

1. Of neglect. 4. For disobedience. 

2. For hearing. 5. To see the country. 

3. To make others happy. 6. For his own pleasure. 
Ex. — His beautiful tree perished of neglect. 

X. Construct five sentences, each containing two or more phrases 
correctly used. 



LESSON XXIX. 
29. Clauses and their use in Sentences. 

You have learned to expand simple sentences by using first 
words, then phrases, to modify and extend their meaning. You may 
next expand the same by the use of propositions. 

Propositions when so used are called clauses) thus, in the sentence : 
He was glad when his friend came home, the two propositions, " He 
was glad," and " when his friend came home" each form but a part 
of the sentence, and each is called a clause. 

You may remember the following definition : 

Definition. — A clause is a proposition that forms but a part of a 
sentence. 



52 CLAUSES AND THEIR USE IN SENTENCES. 

Exercises. 

1. Complete the following by using clauses to tell what, which, who 
or whom : 

1. I have learned 

2. He gave me the beautiful rose 

3. The was here to-day. 

4. The dog knew 

5. He left the friends 

6 has returned to the city. 

Ex. — I have learned that he intends to return soon. 

II. Construct five sentences, using clauses as above. 

III. Complete the following, using clauses to tell when : 

1. The birds begin to sing : 

2. I will take care of your books 

3. He will return 

4 , the dew disappears from the grass. 

5 , . , I will return to school. 

6. Then, I will repay you. 

Ex. — The birds begin to sing when the sun rises. 
Or, When the sun rises, the birds begin to sing. 

IV. Construct five sentences containing clauses telling when. 

V. Complete the following, using clauses to tell where : 
1. We sowed the seed 

2 the plants will grow best. 

3. We like best to be 

4 the country was very hilly. 

5 we call its source. 

6. The house was built 

Ex. — We sowed the seed where the ground was soft and moist. 



REVIEW LESSON DESCRIBING ANIMALS. 



53 







LESSON XXX. 
30. Eeview lesson describing animals. 



To the Teacher.— See Model Exercises, Lesson XXX. of the Manual. 



Directions. — Write about the following named animals, or about 
others in which you may be interested, telling : 

1. Where they are found. 

2. About their appearance, (size, form, color, &c). 

3. What they do. 

4. What kind of animal, (disposition, characteristics). 



54 REVIEW LESSON DESCRIBING ANIMALS. 

5. If useful ; of what use. 

6. Relate something that you have heard or read 'about some 
particular one. 

Exercises. 

Example. — Sruikrels. 

Some squirrels live in the woods, and some live on the prairie. 
Some live in holes which they find in the trees, and some live in holes 
which they make in the ground. 

They are pretty animals, with long, bushy tails and bright eyes. 
They are long and slender ; and some of them are grey,, some black, 
and some striped. 

They can run very fast up a tree or into their holes. In the 
spring they pull up the farmer's corn, and in the summer they gather 
nuts to eat in the winter. They hold a nut in their paws while they 
eat it. 

They are quick, active, interesting little creatures. I think that 
they are mischievous, because they pull up the farmer's corn ; and 
that they are industrious and careful, because, in the summer, they 
gather their food for the winter. 

Subjects. 

The cat, The ox, The hen, 

The dog, The hog, The goose, 

The horse, The sheep, The turkey, 

The cow, Thy rabbit, The duck. 

My dog, My horse, My cat, 

My pet, My pony, An old cow. 

Note.— The latter form of subjects will secure, from a single class, a greater variety of compositions 
than the other, and he very pleasing to the children. 



DESCBIPTION OF PLANTS. . 55 

LESSON XXXI. 

31. Description of plants. 



To the Teacher— See Model Exercise, Lesson XXXI. of the Manual. 



Direction. — When you write about plants or trees, you may ob- 
serve the order of the following points : 

1. Where they grow. 

2. Their size and form. 

3. Their foliage and flowers. 

4. Their fruit, its qualities and uses. 

5. Uses of plant or tree. 

This plan will help you in each composition; but, if after you have 
written your composition once, you think that by changing the order 
of its topics you can make it better, do so. If you think that by leav- 
ing out something you have said, or by adding something new, you 
can make it more interesting, do so. I am only trying to help you, 
and you may do as much better than I plan for you, as is possible. 

Exercises. 
Example.— The Apple Tbee. 

Apple trees grow in all parts of the world that have a temperate 
climate. 

They are found growing wild in the groves and forests, but more 
frequently in orchards and gardens where they are cultivated. 

They are of different sizes and shapes, but never grow so large as 



56 



COMPOSITION'S TELLING ABOUT PERSONS. 



the oak, maple, hickory and other forest trees. When cultivated, they 
have a short trunk with low spreading branches. 

Their foliage consists of small dark-green leaves of a firm texture. 
They blossom in the early spring-time. 

The flowers are fragrant, and of a white color, tinged with pink. 
The fruit of the wild-apple tree is small and sour. 

The fruit of cultivated trees is usually large and round, but there 
are many varieties. 

Some apples are sweet, others are sour ; and of each of these kinds 
some are much better than others. They differ in size, shape, color 
and taste. 

Apples are eaten raw, and are used for many different purposes in 
cooking. 

Subjects. 



Eoses, 
Tulips, 
Pinks, 
Peonies, 



Asters, 
Larkspur, 
Hollyhock, 
Honeysuckle, 



The apple tree, 
The peach tree, 
The plum tree, 
The pear tree, 



Oak trees, 
Hickory trees, 
-Pine trees, 
The grass. 



LESSON XXXII. 
32. Compositions telling about persons. 



To the Teacher.— See Model Exercises, Lesson XXXII. of the Manual. 



Directions.— -1. Write about some boy or girl whom you know, 
telling : 



COMPOSITIONS TELLING ABOUT PERSONS. 57 

Outline for writing about persons. 

1. Where he or she lives. 

2. About his or her appearance. 

3. About his or her actions. 

4. About his or her character. 

Exercises. 

1. Write about some boy or girl whom you have known and remem- 
ber. 

2. About any person whom you know. 

3. About any person whom you have known and remember. 

• Examples. 

1. Once, there was a boy who lived in the city with his mother, in a 
small brick house by the river. He was a little, slender boy, with 
blue eyes and brown hair. It was a sunshiny morning in spring, and 
Tommy felt glad it was so warm, and he was tired of staying in the 
house. He asked his mother if he might go out to play, and she said 
he might. He ran down the steps, and played marbles on the side- 
walk till his mother called him, then he ran quickly into the house. 
Tommy was an obedient boy. 



CHAPTER IV. 



LESSON XXXIII. 

33. Description of inanimate objects. 

Direction. — Heretofore you have been assisted in your composition 
work by having questions asked you. Now, you are able to help your- 
selves, by ashing your own questions. I will first lead you to under- 
stand how this can be done. I will give you a plan for a composition 
about Iron — a plan that will be equally good for all similar subjects. 
Each division, or topic, will be the subject of a paragraph, and the 
whole will be the outline of your composition. 

I. Outline for composition. 

1. Where found. How obtained. 

2. Its appearance. 

3. If manufactured ; where, how. 

4. Qualities learned through the senses and by experimenting. 

5. Articles made from it. Other uses. 

Look at this outline and write the questions you might ask with 
reference to the first topic ; as, 

1. Where is it found ? How is it found ? Where do we get it ? 
How do we get it ? &c. 



DESCRIPTION OF INANIMATE OBJECTS. 59 

2. Some questions on the second topic ; as, 

Of ivhat shape is it ? How large is it ? Is it light, or heavy ? Of 
what color is it ? &c. 

3. On the third topic ; as, 

Where, and how is it made ? From what is it made ? By whom 
is it made ? What articles are used in making it ? &c. 

i. On the fourth ; as, 

What more can be learned of it by seeing, feeling, hearing, or ex- 
perimenting ? 

5. The fifth; as, 
Of what use is it ? What things are made from it ? For what 
do we use these articles ? What else can be said about iron ? &c. 

Answer each of these questions in the order in which you have given 
them, and answer all of them. It may be necessary before you can 
answer all of these questions, that you learn more about the iron by 
reading about it, by asking other peo'ple about it, and by seeing 
and examining it for yourselves. Each time, before answering your 
questions, you must learn all that you can about the subject in any 
of these ways. After answering the questions, the first step in your 
composition will be to join together the sentences that can be put into 
one sentence ; the next, to arrange the paragraphs, and then to use 
the proper marks for punctuation. The last thing to be done, that 
all may be complete, is to look over the work carefully] and correct 
any mistakes found. 

In the same way, you may write about the following substances : 
gold, brass, coal, 

silver, copper, salt 3 

lead, tin, glass. 



60 DESCRIPTION OF INANIMATE OBJECTS. 

II. Outline foe composition on manufactured articles, con- 
structed OF DIFFERENT PARTS, 

1. Where, and by whom manufactured. 

2. Of what materials. 

3. The different kinds. 

4. General appearance. 

5. Parts ; their form, size, color, &c 

6. Uses of the various parts. 

7. Its use as a whole. 

8. Any other information concerning it. 

Suppose that this is the outline for describing a wagon, and ask 
such questions ; as, 

Where was it made ? Who made it ? Is it made of wood, or of 
iron ? Is part of it made of one thing, and part of another ? Are 
there different hinds ? How does it look ? Which are the principal 
parts ? Is it all of the same color ? Of what use is each part ? Of 
what use is the whole ? What else do I know about it ? &c. 

Learn all you can about a wagon, and then answer these questions, 
as before. 

Subjects. 
A wagon, A school house, 

A carriage, A church building, 

A cooking stove, A railroad car, 

A wheelbarrow, A grain reaper, 

A street car, A sewing machine, 

A dwelling house, A printing press. 

Note.— After the subject is assigned, require the pupil to write out and hand in a list of questions, 
in the order of the outline given him. When it is "brought in, indicate all the errors ; strike out need- 
less, or unsuitable questions ; suggest others more appropriate, and assist in the proper arrangement of 
the whole. Let the pupil have ample time for collecting information, and direct him in finding it. Do 
not hurry the work of composition. " Rome was not built in a day.' 11 



COMPOSITIONS AB UT PERSONS. 6 1 



LESSON XXXIV. 

34. Compositions about persons representing different occu- 
pations. 

Direction. — Children, in this exercise you are not required to ques- 
tion about, or to describe one particular person, but persons, rather, 
who follow some particular occupation or trade ; as, farmers, carpen- 
ters, merchants, &c. I will first give you the outline, and then you 
may prepare the questions, asking several on each topic, and then an- 
swering them as before. 

I. Outline of Composition. 

1. Where he lives ; where he works. 

2. General appearance, dress, &c. 

3. What he does ; how he does it. 

4. Materials and implements used. 

5. Characteristics. 

6. Anecdote or quotation. 

Subjects, 

The farmer, The sailor, 

The merchant, The blacksmith, 

The tailor, The soldier, 

The shoemaker, The saddler. 

The carpenter, The paper carrier. 
The school-boy, or school-girl. 

Example. 
The Farmer. 
The farmer lives in the country, sometimes near, and sometimes far 
away from a city. 



62 COMPOSITIONS ABOUT PERSONS. 

He works on his farm, which he either rents or owns. 

His clothes are not fine, because he does not need fine clothes for 
such work as he does. 

In the spring-time he ploughs his fields, in which he plants all kinds 
of grains, which, when ripe, he carries to market, and either sells for 
money or exchanges for goods. 

In order to raise all the grains, he uses various implements, such 
as, plough, reaper, threshing-machine, and others. 

The farmer is a kind, industrious and intelligent man. 

Otto Smith, District No. 3, 

Davenport, Iowa. 

II. Outline when writing about individuals. 

1. Appearance. 

2. Actions. 

3. Disposition or character. 

4. Our feelings toward them. 

5. Something related of them . 

Apply this outline to the following — 

Subjects. 
Our baby, My seat-mate, 

My little cousin, My sister's friend. 

The new scholar, My father's friend, 

The funny man, My best friend. 

In writing, you can if you choose, avoid giving the name of the per- 
son about whom you write ; this is often more pleasant. Write out 
a list of questions from this outline, as before. You may change the 
plan in any way, if, by so doing, you can make your composition any 
. better. It is not the only outline that might be given, and is only 
intended to help you. You may improve it as much as you can. 



COMPOSITION ABOUT ANINALS. 



63 



LESSON XXXV. 



35. Composition about animals. 



Direction. — You may write about animals that do not live in this 
country, as well as about those that do ; and about those that yotf 
have never seen. I will ask you to write about some animals that you 
learn of by seeing pictures, and by reading about them. 




64 COMPOSITION AB UT ANIMALS. 

Exercises. 
Outline when writing about animals. 

1. Where found. 

2. Different kinds. Form, size, color. 

3. Actions, or habits. 

4. Characteristics. 

5. Of what use to man. 

6. Anecdote. 

Ask such questions ; as, 

Where do they live ? Do they live in warm, or cold countries ? 
How many kinds are there ? Of what shape are they ? What is their 
color ? What can they do? How do they get their food ? Are they 
wild or tame ? Are they gentle, or fierce ? Are they useful to man? 
What have I heard, or read about them ? 

Subjects. 

The deer, The bear, The peacock, 

The goat, The lion, The canary, 

The fox, The tiger, The robin, 

The beaver, The elephant, The parrot, 

The monkey, The whale, The quail, 

The wolf, The trout,- The eagle, 

The camel, The reindeer,- The hawk. 

Animals that live in cold countries. 

Animals that live in warm countries. 

Animals that are useful to man. 

Animals that prey upon other animals. 

Honey-bees, flies, wasps, ants, frogs, toads, mosquitoes, spiders, 
bugs, butterflies. 



(IMPOSITIONS AB UT PLANTS. 65 



LESSON XXXVI. 

36. Compositions about plants. 

Exekcises. 

Outline of composition on plants. 

1. Where they grow. 

2. Their parts, sizes, form, color. 

3. The different varieties. 

4. Their characteristics. 

5. Their uses. 

6. What they teach us ; or, something of their history. 

Subjects. 

A rose bush. Wheat while growing. 

A flower bed. • A field of corn. 

A field of rice. Trees in spring. 

The cotton plant. Trees in autumn. 

The coffee plant. Wild flowers in spring. 

The tea plant. Wild flowers in autumn. 

The mulberry. My favorite tree. 

Leaves and fruit. My favorite flower. 

Note.— Some of these subjects can be described by answering the list of questions that the children 
have already prepared ; others will need a special list for each. 



66 DESCRIPTION OF PICTURES. 



LESSON XXXVII. 

37. Descbiption of pictures. 

Direction. — Instead, now, of writing one composition about objects, 
another about animals, and so on, you may have for your subject 
something that will require you to speak of any, or of all of these in 
the same composition. You may select a picture from your book and 
use the following plan in describing it. You may first ask questions 
on each topic, then answer them in the form of a composition. 

Outline for description of a picture. 

1. The scene represented. 

Number and names. 
Position. 

2. Persons and objects. \ Appearance. 

Actions. 
Character. 

3. Thoughts suggested by the picture. 

4. Sometimes an appropriate quotation. 

Example. — Composition describing a picture entitled 

Midsummer. 

This picture represents a scene in summer. In the center of the 
picture are men and women making hay. Some are raking the hay, 
while two of the men are pitching some of it to two others, who are 
on the top of the load, which is standing near. The horses are 
hitched to the wagon and stand very quietly, as if they were con- 
tented to rest as long as the farmer will let them. Two girls are 



DESCRIPTION OF PICTURES. 67 

sitting on a pile of hay, with a basket beside them. I think they 
have brought the lunch for the men and women who are at work. A 
dog is standing near them ; perhaps he thinks that some of the dinner 
is for him. 

At the right is the farmer's house, and in the distance, I see the 
church steeple just rising above the trees which surround it. The sky 
beyond is very beautiful, but there are some clouds near the horizon. 
I hope it will not rain until the farmer gets his hay into the barn. 

In front is a stream of water with a low bridge over it, and with 
many tall trees and beautiful flowers along its banks. A boy is sitting 
with his bare feet hanging down almost to the water. He is fishing 
with a rod and line, and is sitting very still, so as not to scare the fish. 

A little farther down the stream two girls are gathering flowers. 
One girl is stooping down to pick the flowers, while the other is hold- 
ing them in her hands and apron. 

I think the picture is a beautiful one. These people are industrious, 

and it seems as if they must be good and happy. I should like to be 

with them to help stir the new hay, or to fish in the clear brook, and 

gather the beautiful flowers. I am sure that these children are 

happy,— 

" Picking the violets 
Kissing their feet, 
Out in the country, 
Pleasant and sweet. 
Roaming through meadows 
Covered with dew ; 
Happier, children, 
Than monarchs, are you.' 1 

You will often find it proper to close your compositions with 
selections of poetry. But you must be very careful to make selections 
that are suitable in every respect. They should convey the thoughts 
you wish to express, and in a way more agreeable than you will be able 
to do in your own words in prose. Notice that each line of poetry 



68 DESCRIPTION OF PICTURES. 

begins with a capital letter. The group of lines corresponding, in a 
manner, to the paragraph in prose, is called a stanza. Notice, again, 
that the whole stanza is enclosed with two pairs of marks, one at 
the beginning, inverted commas, the other, at the close, double apos- 
trophe. The two pairs of marks, taken together, are called quotation 
marks. Now, I want you to learn the following rules : — 

Eule. — Each line of poetry must begin with a capital letter. 

Eule. — All selections of prose and poetry used to form a part of 
one's own composition must be placed in quotation. 

II. Outline for description of a picture on the wall of 

THE SCHOOLROOM, OR AT HOME. 

1. Its size, shape, style of frame, &c. 

2. Kind of picture, painting, engraving, &c. 

3. The name or title. ■ 

4. Appearance. 

5. Scene represented. 

6. Persons, objects, &c. 

7. By whom designed and executed. 

DESCRIPTION OF A PICTURE. 

The picture is rectangular in form and large in size. The frame is 
gilded to represent gold. It is an oil painting of a scene in Byron's 
Childe Harold. The name of it is, " The Dream of Arcadia/' The 
objects represented are a temple, an idol covered with flowers, and a 
bridge over a large stream. On the bridge are two horses, one white, 
the other black, and on the horses are a man and a woman. Some 
children are gathering lilies by the stream, and in the distance is a 
high mountain. The appearance is very fine. The dark-green of the 
trees and the blue sky, with the clearness of the water, make the 
picture look very bean i ""ful It was painted by my brother. 

G-. Gillet. 



MENTAL PICTURES. 69 



LESSON XXXVIII. 

38. Mental picture or pictures of the memory and 
imagination. 



To the Teacher.— See Model Exercises, Lesson XXXVIII. of the Manual. 



Direction. — If you are told that I have a pretty garden, you are 
at once ready to tell me what is in it. You have not seen it, but you 
remember what you have seen in other gardens, and imagine what is 
in mine. You have a picture of it in your mind. Now, by writing 
one short word, I want to bring before your minds a picture with 
many things in it that are interesting to you. After I have given you 
the word, and you have studied your picture for a few moments, you 
may write what you see in it, and of some of the thoughts which it 
.brings to your minds, or feelings which it produces. Let the word be 
home : and do you not see some or all of the following thoughts ? 
The house in which you live, father and mother, the children who are 
at home, the sitting-room, the parlor, the things in the rooms, the 
warm fire in the sitting-room, mother sewing, grandfather sitting by 
the fire, the baby playing on the carpet, with her playthings around 
her, and looking very happy ; books, pictures, maps, &c. Many 
thoughts and feelings arise as you see all these things, and you think, 
and how thankful I should be for my home. 

I should be kind to my parents, and try to help them. I should be 
kind to my brothers and sisters, and try to make them happy. 

From this you will understand that you can describe this picture of 
the mind in much the same way as the pictures which you saw in your 
book, or at home. 



70 DESCRIPTION OF MENTAL PICTURES. 



Outline for description of mental pictures. 

1. Location of scenes and objects. 

2. Description of persons and objects. 

3. Thoughts and feelings associated with the picture. 

Subjects. 

1. A garden in summer. 

2. Our school-room during study hours. 

3. Our play-ground at recess. 

4. My former home. 

5. My grandfather's house on last Christmas day. 

6. A home in the country. 

Example. — A garden. 

At the edge of a large city stood a pretty cottage. On one side of 
the cottage was a beautiful green lawn ; on the front and around the 
other side the most beautiful garden I ever saw. 

There were winding paths, bordered in some places by rows of 
beautiful roses, whose colors varied from the deepest velvety crimson 
to pink, the pale blush, and the purest white. 

Near the middle of the garden stood a large fountain, in the basin 
of which was a single clump of water-lilies, and the birds came to 
drink and bathe in the water ; the basin of the fountain was edged 
with pale blue forget-me-nots, with here and there a bunch of violets, 
always kept moist by the falling spray from the fountain. 

There were two little boys in the garden — one had blue eyes and 
golden hair, and the other had black eyes and hair ; they were trying 
to sail a little boat on the water. 



DESCRIPTION OF MENTAL PICTURES. 71 

In other places the paths were bordered by beds of tulips, day-lilies, 
sweet-williams, foliage-plants, verbenas, and showy geraniums. 

At the foot of an old pear tree, which had stood at the end of one 
of the paths for many years, was a cluster of lilies-of-the- valley, filling 
the air with their fragrance. 

One of the paths led to a rustic summer house, covered with 
clematis vines and the scarlet creeper. 

Other paths led to a rockery where ferns, woodbines, and other wild 
flowers grew in abundance. 

Scattered about on the side behind the cottage where several large 
lilac, snowball, and sweet-scented syringa bushes. 

This part of the garden was used for a croquet ground, and four 
children (two boys and two girls) were playing on it. 

In the shade of one of the lilac bushes, two little girls were sitting 
on the green grass watching the others. 

It was a lovely sight to see all the children playing together, tor 
they were benevolent and kind, and seemed so happy in each other's 
presence. 

Clara Decker. 




CHAPTER V. 



DESCRIPTION AND NARRATION. 



LESSON XXXIX. 

39. Description of localities and parts of country observed, 
and of countries represented by maps. 

Direction. — You may now write about places where you have lived, 
or which you may have visited, using the following outline : — 

I. Outline for description of places seen. 

1. The location. 

2. Surroundings. 

3. Parts or divisions. 

4. What is contained or produced. 

5. Objects of interest. 

6. Reminiscences, or things recollected. 

Subjects. 

Our school-grounds. My uncle's farm. 

Our home in the city. The town in which I live. 

Our farm in the country. The town I visited. 



NARRATION AND DESCRIPTION OF JOURNEYS. 73 

II. Outline for description of countries represented by maps. 

1. How situated. How surrounded. 

2. Natural divisions of the land surface. 

3. Principal mountains, rivers, and bodies of water. 

4. Natural curiosities. 

5. Productions ; natural and manufactured. 

6. Political divisions. Principal cities. 

7. Facilities for traveling. 

8. Places and objects of interest to the traveler. 

9. Manners and customs of the people. 
10. Something of its history. 



LESSON XL. 
40. Narration and description on journeys, real or imaginary. 

Direction. — For your next exercise in writing, you may tell about 
some journey that you have taken. It may have been only a short 
one ; no matter, you can find many things to say about it. 

If any one of the topics given is not needed in giving the account 
of your journey, you can omit it, or you may change the plan in any 
other way that will better suit your purpose. 

I. Outline for giving an account of a journey taken. 

1. Time and place of starting. 

2. The place for which I started. 

3. The route taken. 



74 NARRATION AND DESCRIPTION OF JOURNEYS. 

4. The mode of conveyance. 

5. Description of country. 

6. Places passed through. 

7. Objects seen on the way. 

8. Arrival and reception. 

9. Incidents of travel. 
10. Keturn home. 

Subjects. 

1. A walk to and from school. 

2. A trip to gather wild flowers. 

3. A picnic excursion. 

4. A fishing excursion. 

5. A hunting excursion. 

6. A trip on the river. 

7. Our trip for nuts. 

8. A sleigh-ride. 

9. My visit to the country. 

10. A visit to a relative living at a distance. Any other journey 
you may have taken. 

In the composition for which the following outline is given, you may 
record the facts about places as you learn them from your geographies. 
What you say of yourself must, of course, be, for the most part, 
imaginery. The plan will differ but little from the one already given. 

1. Time and place of starting. 

2. Intended destination. 

3. The route taken. 

4. ■ The mode of traveling. 



SHORT BIOGRAPHIES. 75 



5. Description of scenery and places. 

6. Objects of interest on the way. 

7. Description of place visited. 

8. Manners and customs that are different from our own. 

9. Anecdote or quotation. 

Subjects. 

1. A journey from New York to Boston. 

2. From Boston to Cincinnati. 

3. From Cincinnati to Chicago. 

4. From Chicago to New Orleans. 

5. From St. Louis to San Francisco. 

6. From Cleveland to Washington. 

7. From Philadelphia to Mobile. 

8. A trip up the Mississippi river. 

9. A journey and visit to Niagara Falls. 

10. A journey and visit to Mammoth Cave. 

11. A journey and visit to the Rocky Mountains. 

12. A journey and visit to the White Mountains. 



LESSON XLI. 

41. Short biographies of celebrated persons. 

Direction. — Read and learn, then write, using the following : 
outline of composition. 

1. Where born. Parentage. 

2. Circumstances and associations of early life. 



76 . REPRODUCTION OF READING LESSON. 

3. Characteristics in early life. 

4. Early occupations. 

5e Occupation or profession in later life. 

6. Character as men and women. 

'7. Traits of character worthy of imitation. 

8. Time and circumstances of death. 

9. Anecdote or quotation. 







Subjects. 




1. 


Washington. 


4. 


Daniel Webster. 


2. 


Lincoln, 


5. 


Robert Fulton. 


3. 


Franklin. 


6. 


Lady Washington 



LESSON XLII. 

12. Reproduction of reading lesson, or of narrative read or 

NARRATED BY THE TEACHER. 

Direction. — Having read a lesson, or listened to the reading of a 
lesson^ or to a story related by the teacher, you may reproduce, in 
writing, what is contained in the lesson or story, using the following 
outline as a guide. 

I. OUTLINE FOR REPRODUCTION OF READING LESSON. 

1. The subject. 

2. Time and places mentioned. 



REPRODUCTION OF READING LESSON. 77 

3. Persons and things spoken of. 

4. Facts or events related. 

5. A necdote told. 

The same outline may be used, and the same order observed, in 
reproducing : 

I. NARRATIVES READ BY THE TEACHER. 

II. STORIES RELATED BY THE TEACHER. 

Direction. — Change the following poetry into prose : 

GRASS. 

Out in the fields to walk, 

Hearing the grasses talk, 
In the sweet month of June ! 

These are the works they say, 

As in low whispers they 
Speak through the silence of noon. 

" Sunbeams, come lie on me ; 

Rain, here is room for thee ; 
Clouds, here your shadows may rest ; 

Wind, you may rustle through ; 

Cow, here is food for you ; 
Horse, come and roll on my breast. 

" Ground-bird come here and see 

How you can nest with me ; 
Child, run about me and play ; 

Strong man, with cheeks so brown, 

Here come and cut me down, 
Toss me, and turn me to hay. 

" Fill high the farmer's loft, 
Then go and gather oft 



BEPBODUCTION OF BEADING LESSON. 



Fodder for cattle a t night ; 

Take all you'll need of me, 

I'll not live selfishly, 
Nor for my own delight. 

' Grasshopper, butterfly, 
Bees, that with < honeyed thigh 

Ever on busy wing rove, 
Born of one parent, we, 
All of one family, 

Linked to each other in love. 

" Golden-hued buttercup, 

Over me glancing up, 
By the light summer-breeze wooed, 

You to shall share with me 

This happy destiny, 
Born to be useful and good. 

" So shall the early spring, 

Life to our bosom bring, 

Verdure and beauty restore ; 

Then, taking heed of us, 

All who have need of us 

Welcome shall be as before. 

— Our Young Folks. 



UNDER THE PEAR TREE. 

Under the pear trees, on August day, 
In the long ago and the far away, 
Four little children rested from play. 

heering the hours with childish chat, 
Now laughing at this, or shouting at that, 
Till a golden pear fell straight in Fred's hat. 



REPRODUCTION OF READING LESSON 79 

i( I'm lucky," he cried, as he hastened to eat 

The mellow pear so juicy and sweet ; 

If I tried for a week that could'nt be beat." 

Then Tom, and Jenny, and Mary spread 
Their hats and aprons wide and said, 
* 4 We can catch pears as well as Fred." 

Then long and patient they sat, and still, 

Hoping a breeze from over the hill 

Their laps with the golden fruit would fill. 

Till weary of waiting, Tom said with a sneer, 
"I could gather a bushel of pears 'tis clear, 
While idly we wait for a windfall here. 1 ' 

Then up the tree he sprang, and the power 
Of his sturdy arms soon sent a shower 
Of yellow fruit as a golden dower. 

It was long ago, that August day 

When four little children rested from play, 

Under the pear trees far away. 

And the children, older and wiser now, 
With the furrows of care on either brow, 
Have not forgotten the lesson I trow — 

The lesson they learnt that August day, 
That for having our wishes, the surest way 
Is to work, and in earnest, without delay. 

— Scrap Booh. 



80 SIMPLE LETTER WRITING. 



LESSON XLIII. 

43. Letter writing. 



Directions. — No doubt while you have been observing and de- 
scribing objects and persons, writing about your own or others' feel- 
ings and actions, asking questions, describing places and scenes, and 
telling what happened in connection with them, relating what you 
had seen and learned in going from one place to another, you have 
asked, " Of what use will all this be, after I am through with my 
composition writing at school ? " I hope that many of you have been 
able to answer your own question in this particular as well as you have 
in others. When you have thought of the many books that are used, 
the magazines and newspapers that are published, and remembered 
that all of these must first be written, you have answered, " Perhaps I 
shall be needed to do some of this work ; I may want to write a book, 
edit a newspaper, or correspond for one." ^ 

This may all prove to be true of you, as well as of others. Some- 
time such work must all be done by those who are now children, and 
by your composition work you have begun a preparation for it. There 
is, however, one very pleasant use which you will all want to make of 
your skill in composition. You will want to begin it soon, if you have 
not already. It is letter writing, for which you are now prepared. 

Give attention to the following : 



(Introductory address.) 



SIMPLE LETTER WRITING. 81 

Example. 

(Place and date.) 

i 



(Body of letter.) 
(si/awi. 'AtncZ €e€€al> o,ff tAe </ClA €7i&^t. ivciA. gladly- 

lecevued) unci <=jT fia&e, £Ae fttAAt afe/iArttcin,t£u, to- lefefof; ^F c « 

(Subscription.) 

Notice the different parts of the letter as given. The place and 
date. The introductory address. Body of the letter. The subscrip- 
tion. 

The date is written at the upper right-hand corner on the first line 
If it requires many words, it may be written, part on the first, and 
the rest on the second, immediately below it, as : 

Amherst College, Mass., ) 
September 12, 1869. j 

The parts of the date are separated by commas. N. Y. is used for 
New York, Aug. for August, inst. for instant, and Mass. for Massa- 
chusetts. 

A period is placed after each. 

This should always be done, and may be stated as another rule for 
the use of the period. 

Eule. — A period should be placed after every abbreviation. 



82 4* SIMPLE LETTER WRITING. 

The introductory address is placed on the next line below, at the 
left hand. 

It may vary much in style. The style depends upon your relation 
to the person whom you address ; it may be, a Dear Friend/' " My 
Dear Cousin/' or, " Dear Brother James." If you are not so familiar 
with the person whom you address, you may write as follows : 

Mr. Henry F. Harrison : 

Dear Friend, 



In using either style, you should place a colon after the first, and a 
comma after the last part of the address. 

The body of the letter is begun just below the close of the address, 
and with a capital letter. 

The name of the person writing the letter is placed below that, and 
a little further to the right. 

The expression of regard or respect must also be varied, to suit the 
style of the address used. For the body of the letter you will need no 
special instruction, only bear in mind, and. apply what you have al- 
ready been taught to practice in other compositions. 

If you write on note paper, fold it thus : first, one-third upwards, 
and then one-third downwards. Select an envelope which is as long 
as the paper is wide, and then your folded paper will just fit it, and 
the package look smooth and neat. If you use large sized letter pa- 
per, fold it first, across the middle of the sheet, then the third at the 
right hand, the third at the left hand, and it will be of the proper 
size, as before. You must be careful in selecting your paper and en- 
velopes, to have them correspond in size, for if you do not, you cannot 
fold them neatly, The letter, when folded, should fill the envelope. 



SIMPLE LETTER WRITING. 



83 



<=ytfZl*. 


crsdZaltf 


(DA™. 



J&Ze'ni,™ 


-d&fazttt&c.ti) <£>&Gl. } 






W%U JSkmenw 


&, 




^s/&£etcet 


<&>., 




*=~=&eivn&'if€v4i'nia / . 



From these diagrams you will observe the manner of placing the 
different parts of the address, and that the parts are separated by 
commas. 

Besides the names of persons and places, I have written Mrs. and 
Esq., which are abbreviations of titles. 

I have commenced each with a capital letter. 

This should always be done ; so you may repeat it as a rule : 



84 SIMPLE LETTER WRITING. 

Kule. — Every title should begin with a capital letter. 
You must not make the mistake that is sometimes made, of putting 
a title both before and after the name, both meaning nearly the same; 
as, " Mr. John Jones, Esq." 

The stamp is placed on the upper right-hand corner of the en- 
velope. 

Now, you may each write a letter as directed below. 
A letter from child at school : 

To brother or sister. To parent at home. 

To playmate. To uncle or aunt. 

To parent abroad. To other relatives. 




TWENTIETH EX>IT 



White's Manual of Phys 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



nil mil mil mi 
003 243 622 5 # 



-AND- 




INSTITUTIONS OF IOWA. 



— BY — 

O .A- W HI 1 17 IE „ 

Late Professor of Geology in the State Untversitv. now of Bowdoin College. 



CONTENTS. 



PART I. 



PART II. 



Chapter I — Introduction. 

II— Boundaries and Surveys. 

III.— Character of the Surface. 

IV. — Rivers. 

V.— Lakes and Peat Marshes. 

VI— Geology . 

VIL— Iowa Geology. 

VIII — Mineral Resources. 

IX— The Soil. 

X. — Productions of the Soil. 

XI— Animals. • 

XII — Miscellaneous Resources. 

XIII— Climate. 



Chapter J.— History. 

" II— State Government. 
" 111- Counties and Townships. 
" IV.— Cities and Towns. 
" V.— Elections and Taxes. ; 
VI — The Public School Sys- 
tem. 
VII— The State University and 
State Agricultural College. 
" VIII — Special Educational and 

Charitable Institutions. 
" IX.— Penal and Reformatory 
Institutions. 



Three Colored Maps, showing the Geological Divisions, Counties, 
Judicial and Congressional Districts. 



ILLUSTRATED. 



PRICE,.. 75 CENTS. 



DAY* EGBERT, & FIDLAR, 

PUBLISHERS, 
DAVENPORT, IOWA. 



